1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal watercraft incorporating structure for facilitating capsize recovery, and to a method of restoring an overturned watercraft to a normal, upright position. More particularly, the present invention relates to a personal watercraft and to a method of use thereof, in which the watercraft includes an inverted-U-shaped exhaust pipe disposed midway within an engine exhaust system, and further wherein the watercraft body includes specialized structure to assist a user in righting the watercraft, in the event that it overturns during operation.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is well known to provide a personal watercraft, or small planing boat, with an exhaust system for the driving engine thereof. It is also well known to incorporate a muffler in such an exhaust system, to which a substantially inverted-U-shaped exhaust pipe is connected. A personal watercraft having this configuration discharges exhaust gas in the muffler out through the exhaust pipe via an exhaust port. Such an exhaust system is disposed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent publication No. 2002-2593.
The art disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent publication No. 2002-2593 will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 illustrates the basic construction of a conventional prior art personal watercraft exhaust system.
As shown in FIG. 6, a prior art personal watercraft 100 includes an engine 101 that rotates a drive shaft 102 for driving a jet propeller 103. The personal watercraft 100 is propelled as the boat 100 expels water drawn in from a front end portion 103a of the jet propeller 103 rearwardly from a rear end portion 103b as a jet of water.
The personal watercraft 100 includes a substantially inverted-U-shaped exhaust hose 105 disposed midway within an exhaust system of the engine 101. The substantially inverted-U-shaped exhaust hose 105 functions to prevent water that has entered the exhaust hose 105 from entering into the engine 101 through a side thereof.
For example, if the personal watercraft 100 overturns in the water, an exhaust port of the exhaust hose 105 opens upwardly, making it likely that water will enter the exhaust hose 105 via the exhaust port. The water that has entered the exhaust hose 105 stays at a vertex portion 105a of the exhaust hose 105 formed into the substantially inverted-U shape, and does not enter the engine 101.
When the overturned personal watercraft 100 is to be restored to a normal, upright position, it is necessary to discharge the water remaining in the vertex portion 105a from the exhaust port. This is accomplished by turning the personal watercraft 100 such that the exhaust port is located downwardly.
To ensure that the water remaining in the vertex portion 105a is discharged properly, the personal watercraft 100 is marked, at a rear end portion thereof, with the proper direction of rotation of the overturned personal watercraft 100 when the overturned personal watercraft 100 is to be restored to a normal, upright position. Restoring the overturned personal watercraft 100 to the normal, upright position is, however, performed in a submerged condition. Therefore, it is difficult and time-consuming for an operator to determine the proper direction of rotation that is given at the rear end portion of a vessel body 100.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a personal watercraft that can be swiftly rotated in a correct direction of rotation when the personal watercraft, that has been overturned, is to be restored to a normal, upright position.